6 egg whites (room temperature)
3/4 cup sugar
6 egg yolks
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
dash of salt
confectioner’s sugar
Filling:
1 1/2 cup heavy cream, chilled
1/2 cup confectioner’s sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
2 teaspoons instant coffee powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
optional flavor additions – Kahlua, Amaretto, Grand Marnier, etc.)
Grease bottom of a 15 1/2 x 10 1/2 x 1-inch jelly roll pan; line with waxed paper; grease lightly. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large electric mixer bowl at high speed, beat egg whites just until soft peaks form when the beater is slowly raised. Add 1/4 cup sugar, 2 tablespoons at a time, until stiff peaks form when beater is slowly raised. With same beaters, beat yolks at high speed, adding remaining 1/2 cup sugar, 2 tablespoons at a time. Beat until mixture is very thick - about 4 minutes. At low speed, beat in cocoa, vanilla and salt, just until smooth. With wire whisk or rubber scraper, using an over-and-under motion, gently fold the cocoa mixture into the beaten egg whites, just until they are blended (no egg white should show.) Spread evenly in pan. Bake 15 minutes, just until surface springs back when gently pressed with fingertip. Sift confectioner’s sugar, in a 13 x 10-inch rectangle, on clean linen towel. Turn cake out on sugar; lift off pan, peel paper off cake immediately. Roll up, jelly roll fashion, starting with the short end, towel and all. Cool completely on a rack, seam side down - at least 1/2 hour. To make the filling, combine ingredients in a medium bowl. Beat with electric mixer until thick and then refrigerate. Unroll cake; spread with filling to 1” from edge; re-roll. Place seam side down on a large plate or tray. Cover loosely with foil. Refrigerate 1 hour before serving. To serve: sprinkle with confectioner’s sugar and decorate if desired. Serves 10.
